Published: April 26th 2023, 6:42:25 am
DING DONG
This was the moment Brin dreaded. He sat up in his playpen, his ears perked up as Daddy went out of the room to answer it. And though he strained his ears, he really couldn't hear over the sweet sounds of Garmon and Sifunkel. He looked down at himself and tried to smooth down his romper as much as possible and perhaps not make his diaper look so obvious. After a minute of nervous fidgeting in walked his worst nightmare - his dad, belly bag and all - walking in with his Daddy to see Brin in his full adult baby glory.
"There he is!" said Dad, running up like he used to do and reaching in to grab Brin under the armpits. Brin was hit by a wave of nostalgia as his Dad attempted to pick him up from the playpen. "Oof! Kiddo, you're a whole lot heavier than you used to be!"
"Get up, Brin," said Daddy, nodding at me. After my initial shock, that was all I needed and I stood up so my old man didn't have to do all of the work.
"Let's look at you," said Dad, smiling as he turned me this way and that. "Gosh, you're just how I remembered you. Did I ever tell you I always expect you to come around the corner being about two feet tall when you're at home?"
"Only ever time I visit," sighed Brin, blushing and trying not to look flustered that his Dad was seeing him like this. His Dad continued regardless.
"I guess I just have this image of you in my mind at about 3 years old, and it always throws me off when you come around and you're all adult."
"Well, you weren't far off," chimed in Daddy. "As you can see, he really is just a little three year old, at least that's how he lives in this house!"
"Daddy," said Brin, blushing.
"Well, what do we do now?" asked Dad. "I don't really know how this whole... adult baby thing works."
"Well, you could start with a diaper check," suggested Daddy.
"No way," Brin complained. "I'm not even wet!"
"Practice makes perfect," said Daddy, waving his finger.
"Well, I'm pretty sure I still remember how to do that," said Dad, sticking his finger up Brin's leg hole and following up with an embarrassing sniff test that had Brin hollering in embarrassment. "Nope, still dry! So uh... what else?"
Daddy gave a knowing smile. "Well, Brin's Dad. What did you like to do when you used to watch the kiddo?"
Dad thought for a second. "Well, I used to love to take him out to the park. I used to tug him along in a little red wagon. Remember that, kiddo?"
"Hey, we have one of those!" said Daddy, getting excited.
"Really?" asked Dad. Brin was blushing from head to toe by this point.
"No way! No way you're taking me to the park in a wagon. I'll look ridiculous!"
"Aww, c'mon, kiddo! You used to love the wagon," said Dad. Brin had to admit he did, but he was still embarrassed.
"Nothing to be embarassed about, kiddo," said Daddy. "We talked about this. About accepting who you are as a little boy? You're no different than you were back then, just a little larger is all."
"I guess..." said Brin, looking down at the ground, almost as if he was sulking.
"It's not a guess. We talked about this. This is what you wanted. No take backs. So time to put your money where your mouth is, right, kiddo?"
"Yeah," said Brin, finally, looking back up at Daddy. He looked between Daddy and his Dad, and they were both beaming at him. He was scared and embarrassed, but this was also a chance to actually do something he had always longed for and never thought he could have. He resolved to give it a try, at least. "Okay. Let's go. I just hope I'm not gonna regret this."
"No way, kiddo," said Daddy. "You'll have the time of your life!"
"We can even stop by the corner store I saw on the way here and get you some candy. You always did like those flaming meteors, didn't ya?"
Brin remembered vividly getting candy with his Dad. It felt strange to be reliving childhood like this, and admittedly it was strange, but here he was. He looked at the wagon that Daddy brought out of the garage. It was big enough to fit him, but just barely.
"I can't believe I'm doing this," he said, half in embarrassment, and half in wonder as he climbed into the wagon.
"Off we go, kiddo," said Dad, wearing the biggest smile Brin had ever seen him wear. Daddy just let Dad lead, smiling to himself as he watched the man enjoy the magic of taking care of a little one, of being a Daddy once again.
Diapers were important for Brin, it was true, but some of the things that were the blushiest and hardest for him to ask for were also the simplest, seemingly most innocuous things on the surface. The first time he got fed by another person as an adult, he was as red as a tomato. It wasn't even baby food - just cut up carrots. This moment was like that. Intense excitement, embarrassment, and happines all rolled into one as his Dad rolled him to the store, singing songs they used to sing when he was little, even making him sing along, which he did, reluctantly at first and then with full enthusiasm.
He was allowed to get out of the wagon and go into the store holding Dad's hand, and as soon as he was in, he broke away and ran to the candy like an excited kid. The enthusiasm was catching as he fell into littlespace more completely.
"Now calm down, kiddo," said Dad. "Remember, you only get to pick one candy and one snack."
Brin's face fell as he looked down at the armful of junk food he had already accumulated. He slowly put back one item after another until he was left with only two - a bag of chili cheddar feetos, and a box of red hot cinnamon chewies.
"Some things never change," said Dad, grinning as Brin handed him the items. "These were always your favorites."
Brin hadn't even realized he had picked his old favorites, as he had a foggy memory of what he had even liked back then, but it somehow made him feel good. Like he really had never changed in all those years and he was finally now getting to be the little guy he really was inside.
Brin smiled and drank the Juice his Daddy had packed as he was wheeled to the park. Maybe this wasn't so bad after all. Little did he know that Daddy was filming the whole thing as he hung back, and many people were watching the stream of Baby's day out.